Adjustable ball-bearing for lawn-mowers.



No. 643,3l8. Patented Feb. l3, I900.

J. BRAUN.

ADJUSTABLE BALL BEARING FOB LAWN MOWERS.

(Application filed. Aug. 14, 1899.)

(No Model.)

7 fizz);

as co.. Pmmxumo the revolving cutter, which shall also act as llrrnn STATES JOIIN BRAUN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN BRAUN & SONS.

ADJUSTABLE BALL-BEARING FOR LAWN-MOWERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,318, dated February 13, 1900. Application filed August 14, 1899. Serial No. 727,099. (No model.)

To ct w/wm it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN BRAUN, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Adjustable Ball-Bearings for Lawn-Mowers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to lawn-mowers, but more particularly to the means for properly supporting and adjusting the revolving cutter upon the main frame of the machine, all of which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

In carrying out my invention I journal the revolving cutter upon ball-bearings at each end and provide an adjustable sleeve upon one of the bearings which revolves in contact with the antifriction-balls. By adjusting the sleeve longitudinally upon the shaft of the cutter all wear in the bearings may be compensated for and the machine kept in perfect running order. The adjustment of the sleeve is preferably made by means of screws passing through the head at one end of the revolving cutter, so that the means for securing the adjustment may be readily operated without dismantling any portion of the machine.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in wl1ich- Figure 1 is a plan view of a lawn-mower embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of one of the parts of the revolving cutter, showing the means of adjustment of the bearing; and Fig. 3 is an end view thereof.

A is the revolving cutter and may be made in any of the well-known manners. As shown, the spiral cutting-blades B are secured at each end to the heads 0 C. These heads are provided with shafts c c, and one of these heads may be directly driven by gearing from the main driving-wheels in the usual manner. The main frame G of the machine is provided on each end with inwardly-extending bearings H H, in which are located antifriction-balls I. The head 0 of the revolving cutter is provided with a sleeve D, having a beveled end which runs in contact with the ball-bearings at one end of the machine, and the head 0 at the other end of the re volving cutter is provided with an adjustable sleeve D, having a beveled end, as at d, for

working in contact with the ball-bearings at the opposite end of the machine. The sleeve D snugly fits the shaft 0 and is provided with a flange against which the adjustingscrews E E, carried by the head 0, operate. These screws act as adjustable lugs or abutments, against which the flange of the sleeve D rests and to which it is clamped by the screws F, said screws passing through the flange of the sleeve D and screwing into apertures in the ends of the adjusting-screws E, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. By loosening the screws F and then adjusting the screws E in the head 0 of the cutter an adjusted or.

new position of the sleeve may be obtained and retained in such position by again screwing the screws F tightly to clamp the flange of the sleeve D once more upon the ends of the abutment-screws E. By this means all lost motion in the ball-bearings may be compensated for and excessive friction avoided.

By my improved construction for adjusting the bearings of the revolving cutter it is evident that all such adjustment as is needed may be secured from the inside of the machine without dismantling any of the parts, and is therefore most desirable.

It is evident that the minor details may be modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, my improvements comprehendin g the construction generically wherein the adjust-able bearing for securing the adj ustment of the revolving cutter is made upon the revolving cutter itself and in connection with one of its parts.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lawn-mower, the combination of the main frame having two inwardlydirected bearings, antifriction-balls in said bearings, a rotatable cutter having heads and sleeves at its ends adapted to be received by the antifriction-balls, and means wholly carried by the head of the revolving cutter for adjusting one of the sleeves to compensate for wear in the bearings.

2. In a lawn-mower, the combination of the main frame having two inwardlydirected bearings, antifriction-balls in said bearings, a rotatable cutter having sleeves at its ends adapted to be received by the antifrictionballs, and means wholly carried by the revolving cutter for adjusting one of the sleeves to compensate for wear in the bearings the said means comprising adjustable supports or abutments carried in the head of the revolving cutter, and means for clamping the adj ustable sleeve against said supports or abutments so as to change its position longitudinally upon the axis of the revolving cutter when necessary.

3. In a lawn-mower, the combination of the main frame having two inwardlydirected bearings, a revolving cutter provided at each end with suitable bearings adapted to be received by the bearings of the main frame, and screws arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the revolving cutter and carried by the head thereof for adjusting the bearings thereof relatively to each other to compensate for wear.

4. In a lawn-mower, the combination of the main frame having two inwardlydirected bearings, a revolving cutter provided at each end with suitable bearings adapted to be received by the bearings of the main frame, and means carried by the revolving cutter for adjusting the bearings thereof relatively to each other to compensate for wearsaid means comprising adjustable supports or abutments carried in the head of the revolving cutter, and means for clamping the adjustable sleeve against said supports or abutments so as to change its position longitudinally upon the axis of the revolving cutter when necessary.

5. In a lawn-mower, a main frame having ball-bearings, combined with a revolving cutter having a head 0 provided with a driven shaft 0, asleeve D encircling the shaft 0 and having its end adapted to operate in connection with the ball-bearings, and means extendin g through thehead of the cutter and adj ustable parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutter and acting on the sleeve D at more than one point about its axis of rotation for adjusting the said sleeve D longitudinally upon the shaft 0 and relatively to the head 0.

6. In a lawn-mower, a main frame having ball-bearings combined with a revolving cutter having a head G provided with a driven shaft 0, a sleeve D encircling the shaft 0 and having its end adapted to operate in connection with the ball-bearin gs, and means for adj usting the sleeve D longitudinally upon the shaft '0 and relatively to the head 0 said means comprising adjusting abutment-screws E carried by the head 0 and means for holding the sleeve D against said abutment-screws.

7. In a lawn-mower, a main frame having ball-bearings, combined with a revolving cutter having a head 0 provided with a driven shaft 0, a sleeve D encircling the shaft ,0 and having its end adapted to operate in connection with the ball-bearin gs, and means for adjusting the sleeve D longitudinally upon the shaftcand relatively to the head 0 said means comprising adjusting abutment-screws E carried by the head 0 and screws F passing through a portion of the sleeve and screwing into the end of the abutment-screws.

8. In a lawn-mower, the combination of the main frame having two inwardlydirected bearings, a rotatable cutter consisting of two cast heads provided with outwardly-extending shafts of short length, sleeves encircling the short shafts of the heads and operating in connection with the inwardly-extendingbearings, and means carried by one of the cutterheads independent of the shaft for adjusting one of the sleeves longitudinally.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN BRAUN. Witnesses:

J. F. BRAUN, S. MAsoN CARTER. 

